


i wanna ruin our friendship, we should be lovers instead

by gothflorist



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/F, Friends to Lovers, MaiLee Week 2021, mailee week, other characters to be added - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:41:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28657374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothflorist/pseuds/gothflorist
Summary: Oneshots following the prompts for Mailee Week 2021 :)
Relationships: Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	1. Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> hello ! i decided to partake in mailee week. i’m relatively new to the ship, i’ve only ever written maiko before. so, i hope you guys enjoy these stories and also so sorry this is late, i just heard about mailee week on tumblr recently. 
> 
> \-----
> 
> This story covers the start of their romantic relationship, after requited, yet unspoken crushes on eachother. Basically the plot is based off these lyrics from Jenny by the Studio Killers:
> 
> I wanna ruin our friendship  
> We should be lovers instead  
> I don't know how to say this  
> 'Cause you're really my dearest friend

Ty Lee came by the flower shop one day while Mai was working in hopes of adding some color to her dear friend’s aura. The other day she stopped by to visit Mai, only to be greeted by Aunt Mura and was disheartened to hear that her best friend was in fact not working that day and was at home babysitting Tom-Tom. Mura pulled her aside and told her about how Mai seemed really down lately, she was closed off more than usual, barely picked at her food, and laid in bed most days. She was concerned about Mai’s behavior and kindly asked Ty Lee if she could try to pull Mai out of her depressed state. It broke her heart to know that her best friend, the girl she loved more than just a friend, was feeling this way without Ty Lee even realizing. Hearing this, Ty Lee vowed to do what she could to make Mai feel better, so here she was at the flower shop once again. 

The bell attached to the door chimed cheerfully as Ty Lee entered the store. Mura looked up from the arrangement she was working on and greeted her with a warm smile. Mai, on the other hand, did not look up to see who entered the shop and continued to absentmindedly prune the bonsai tree in front of her. Ty Lee’s heart clenched at the sight of the heavy grey aura that clouded around the girl she loved. She hasn’t seen her like this since their Ember Island trip during the war, though even then it wasn’t this concerning. Taking a steadying breath, Ty Lee bounced over to the counter and nearly hurdled it to embrace Mai.

“Mai, It’s so good to see you! Wow, that bonsai is so beautiful,” she said with a bright smile and a tight hug, hoping that Mai could sense her worry for her despite her normal sunny disposition. She didn’t want to jump into confronting Mai’s problems immediately, for that would only drive the girl away. 

“Hey, Ty... I can’t breathe,” Mai drawled, patting Ty Lee on the shoulder. 

Ty Lee loosened her vice grip, but kept her hands on Mai’s arms, knowing Mai liked physical comfort no matter what the stoic girl claimed. 

“It’s good to see you too, Ty,” Mai said with a small smile. 

Ty Lee was thrilled to see a smile on her friend’s face, but she couldn’t overlook the sadness in her eyes. Mai was known for being inscrutable, but those closest to her could tell when something was off.

She slid her hand down Mai’s arm and grabbed her hand, squeezing ever so slightly, “Why don’t we hang out for a bit? I have a day off from guard duty today. Please, Mai?”

Mai didn’t withdraw her hand, which was a good sign, but she glanced off into the distance and bit her lip considering her offer. 

“I don’t know Ty, I’m working right now…” Mai explained without meeting Ty Lee’s eyes.

“Don’t worry about that, Mai,” Mura interrupted her niece, “It’s a beautiful day outside, why don’t you girls sit out in the garden. You need to take a break some time, my dear.”

Mai nodded slightly, “Thank you, Auntie.”

She redirected her gaze to Ty Lee, finally looking her in the eyes. Ty Lee could see them brimming with anguish despite her otherwise blank face, “Come on, Ty. Let’s head out back.”

The two girls went out back to the garden where Mura grew some of the flowers for the shop. It wasn’t as neat and perfect as the palace gardens by any means, but it was gorgeous, abundant, and well-loved. Ty Lee did a few cartwheels, enjoying the sunshine, then rushed back to Mai’s side. They sat down under the shade of a willow tree and basked in companionable silence, though it was a bit more charged than usual with unspoken words thick in the air around them. 

Mai knew Ty Lee wanted to talk about feelings, so she wanted to stall that conversation as long as she could. Since the end of the war a couple years ago, her love for Ty Lee ventured past the realm of platonic feelings into romantic ones. For the longest time, she ignored these new found feelings, hoping that if she just locked them up and shoved them deep down inside with the rest of them that they would go away. Of course, that didn’t happen. To her dismay, they grew stronger, and Mai didn’t know what to do. She was afraid that if she voiced them, she would ruin one of her dearest and oldest friendships. This fear was eating her up inside, and she retreated into herself, spiraling down into musings of never being good enough and never being anyone’s first priority. She felt unneeded, unwanted, unloved-- simply useless. She couldn’t even fathom how she would begin to voice this to Ty Lee, so she didn’t. Mai heaved a heavy sigh and slumped back, leaning against the thick trunk of the willow tree feeling like a coward.

Ty Lee could feel the conflict and gloom that was suffocating Mai. She didn’t know what was causing her friend this much agony, but didn’t want to overstep and make Mai uncomfortable. She herself was unsure for a moment the best way to break Mai out of her head. She took in her surroundings, appreciating the beauty of the garden, and an idea popped into her head. 

“Hey Mai,” she turned towards her companion and gently held both of her hands in her own, “Can I do your hair? I think that might help cheer you up!”

Mai blinked a few times, snapping out of her trance and exhaled deeply, not quite a sigh, “Sure Ty, if you want.” 

Ty Lee jumped up and picked a few flowers from the garden, hoping that Mura wouldn’t mind. She rushed back to Mai, kneeling behind her and taking her hair out of her usual oxtail style. Mai reached into her billowing sleeves and pulled out some spare hairpins for her to use. As she combed her fingers through Mai’s thick, shiny black hair, she could feel some tension leave Mai. This closeness felt so intimate, and the two savored each second. 

Ty Lee put Mai’s hair into a half up, half down style with those little buns she knows Mai loves, and braided pieces of hair to wrap around them. She ran her fingers through the hair she left down, and separated them into two equal sections on either side and began to braid them. 

“Mai…” she broke the silence with some hesitation, “What’s wrong? Something’s been bothering you, I can tell. You know you can tell me anything, right? You are my best friend.”

Mai anxiously chipped away the black polish on her nails, something Ty Lee knew she only did when something was really wrong. She took a deep breath and spoke in a uncharacteristically soft voice, “I’m fine Ty Lee, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Pausing her braiding for a moment, Ty Lee frowned, “Mai, no one ever says that they’re fine and really mean it. I trust you and love you more than anyone else in the world, I hope that you feel the same way, or at least close enough to feel like you can confide in me and let me know what’s bothering you.”

Finished with her braiding, Ty Lee began to add the flowers to Mai’s hair, and in a soft voice she admitted, “You know Mai, it really breaks my heart to see you this way. I just want to do what I can to make you feel better. You’re always there for me, you are so strong and beautiful and brave. I really meant it when I said I love you, Mai, I will always be there for you.”

She placed a final flower in Mai’s hair and grabbed her shoulder, turning her around so she could look into her eyes. She tucked an errant strand behind Mai’s ear, “Plus, I can see in your aura that—” 

Ty Lee was abruptly cut off by Mai pulling her into a quick, yet ardent kiss. When she pulled away, she could see that Mai’s face was bright red and that her eyes were wide and brimmed with tears. Ty Lee placed a hand on Mai’s cheek, wiping away a stray tear with her thumb, and placed a gentle kiss onto Mai’s lips.

Pulling away once again, Mai chuckled softly and wiped her eyes with her sleeve, “You know I don’t believe in auras, Ty.”

She giggled at that comment, feeling lighter, comforted by Mai’s ability to joke returning. 

Mai picked up a fire lily that wasn’t used in her hair and tucked it behind Ty Lee’s ear, “I was afraid that you didn’t feel the same. I didn’t want to scare you away, I thought I would ruin our friendship…”

Ty Lee held Mai’s hand gently. She brought it up to her lips and placed a soft kiss on the back of Mai’s hand before pulling her into a strong, comforting hug, “You don’t have to worry about ruining our friendship. I love you so much, Mai. I always have, and I promise I always will.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you enjoyed :) i am @gothladymai on tumblr if anyone wants to say hello


	2. Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i love platonic maiko in mailee fics, it just feels right that the two would remain close. also, i envision mai and ty lee to be a cottagecore couple with a cat.

Ty Lee’s birthday was soon, and Mai was on edge. She had no idea what to get her. Mai was not the praying type, but she was so desperate for ideas that she was practically begging the spirits for help. She herself was not a fan of presents, her parents showered her with meaningless gifts her entire childhood as a bribe to shut up and sit pretty. Ever since then, the concept of gift giving left a sour taste in her mouth. 

Also, Ty Lee was surprisingly hard to shop for. She never seemed to want much, though Mai knew that her girlfriend would be impressed by any kind gesture, as long as it was genuine. Mai wanted this gift to be meaningful, something symbolic that Ty Lee could cherish. So, her and Zuko were out, disguised in peasant clothes, browsing different shops in the city in hopes of finding that perfect gift.  Tired from racking their brains for ideas, the two decided on taking a break. Sat in a quaint tea shop, the two sipped their subpar jasmine tea and snacked on almond cookies. 

Zuko joked, breaking the comfortable silence, “Who knew getting something for Ty Lee was more complicated than choosing the first pink thing we saw?”

Mai smirked as she kicked him under the table, “Zuko, be nice. It’s not like you’re an expert on gift giving. Remember that pathetic attempt with the shell on Ember Island?”

Zuko feigned shock, gasping dramatically and placing a hand on his chest, “Well, excuse me for ever trying to impress you,” he said with a laugh, unable to keep up his facade of offense. 

He raised his lone eyebrow in thought and said, “If I’m not mistaken, Ty Lee said that shell was pretty. Why don’t you get her a seashell?”

Mai placed her tea cup down gently and looked her best friend in the eyes. He shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny of her gaze. Sighing, she replied, “Really, Zuko… a shell? Where would we get a shell? It’s not like we’re even by any beaches. Ugh, I should’ve asked Sokka for help instead.”

Zuko blushed in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck, “Oh yeah, that’s true. I guess you’d need a beach to get a shell. Plus, Ty Lee and Sokka have gone shopping together enough times, he would know what she would like. Ugh, it’s too bad he’s not in the Caldera for us to ask him.”

“Yeah, what a shame…” Mai looked thoughtful for a minute, “Well, I guess we just have to keep looking.”

They took their time finishing up their tea and cookies before heading to the next shop. Both Mai and Zuko were not super keen on material possessions. Just some sentimental objects and necessary weapons satisfy them. On the other hand, Ty Lee loved pretty things and surrounding herself with them, there’s no harm in that. Mai found it to be actually quite endearing. 

The store next door was a curio shop. Upon entering, Zuko groaned, recounting to Mai his visit to one owned by pirates with his uncle during banishment in search of a pai sho tile Iroh had on him all along. Mai laughed at his offhand comment about those same pirates’ attempt to kill him, something he could joke about now instead of brooding over.  Mai didn’t mind curio shops. They always had strange and interesting things she’s never seen before. Browsing the random wares displayed haphazardly throughout the store, something caught her eyes. On a mannequin, she saw a tiara quite similar to the one Ty Lee wore when she performed in the circus. As children, when Ty Lee ran off, Mai, Zuko, and Azula managed to sneak out and watch her show when the circus was performing in the outskirts of the Caldera. It was a pleasant memory for them, and a time she knew that Ty Lee secretly missed. She tapped Zuko on the shoulder and pointed to it. 

Smiling, he commented, “That’s perfect Mai, you should get it. I know Ty would like anything you get her, but this she would adore.”

Content in her choice, Mai purchased the tiara. Exiting the shop, the two parted ways with a hug. Zuko wished her the best as they said their goodbyes. 

\----------

Zuko granted Ty Lee a day off from guard duty and Mai a day off from Royal Advisor duty for Ty Lee’s birthday. So, without the need to wake up early, the couple planned on spending a lazy morning together in their quaint house. Mai woke up with their cat, Mochi, lying on her chest and Ty Lee’s face buried into her shoulder. She got up slowly and cautiously so as to not jostle the birthday girl, though she didn’t worry too much, since Ty Lee was a heavy sleeper. Mochi seemed to give Mai a look of annoyance after being woken up, but then curled up on Mai’s pillow and went back to sleep. 

Mai returned to the room with white peach tea, Ty Lee’s favorite, and some fruit tarts for breakfast in bed. Sunlight streamed through the gauzy curtains, and Ty Lee began to stir. Sitting up against their mountain of pillows, she rubbed her eyes and beamed at Mai. 

“Good morning, birthday girl,” Mai smiled in return as she placed the tray down in front of Ty Lee and gave her a quick kiss. 

“Good morning to you too! Wow, Mai, this is so amazing!” She threw her arms around Mai’s neck as carefully as she can, so as to not spill tea all over their sheets. “This is really nice, Mai. Thank you.” 

Mai moved Mochi to her lap as she sat down next to her girlfriend to enjoy breakfast. While they were eating, Ty Lee vividly described to Mai the dream she had the night before and spoke of her excitement for her birthday festivities later that day. Once they were finished eating, Mai got up to grab Ty Lee’s birthday gift. 

She handed Ty Lee a lovely bouquet of flowers, lavender meaning faithful, sunflowers meaning passionate love, and zinnias meaning loyalty, as well as a present wrapped up in pretty cloth tied with a big pink ribbon. 

Ty Lee’s grey eyes were wide with surprise, “Mai, you didn’t have to get me gifts! This breakfast and having you here with me is a gift enough.”

Mai smiled, rolling her eyes at the cliché, but touched nonetheless, “You’re too sweet Ty, just open it.”

Ty Lee assessed the box in her hands, it was fairly heavy and wrapped so nicely. She eagerly, yet carefully pulled away the cloth and opened the lip. Inside was a beautiful golden tiara with a pink teardrop shaped gem hanging down from the center. 

She gasped and her expressive eyes filled with happy tears, “Mai… this is so beautiful. It’s just like the one I wore at the circus.” Her voice was filled with awe as she ran her fingers over the tiara. She gently placed it back into the box and tackled Mai in a huge embrace, knocking her over onto the bed. 

“I love it so much, I love _you_ so much! Mai, this has been the best birthday ever,” Ty Lee peppered kisses all over Mai’s face, feeling the warmth of Mai’s blush with her lips. 

“I love you too, but don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s only the morning,” Mai teased with a coy smile.

  
  



	3. Painting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this one is a bit short, but it is my favorite prompt i've done so far :)

When she isn’t busy with her advisor to the Fire Lord duties, Mai has been trying out a few hobbies to drive away boredom in her free time. Aang suggested it, along with meditation, saying that it would “enrich her life” or whatever. She feigned disinterest at first, but she genuinely took his advice to heart. Painting, specifically inks and watercolors, was something she gravitated towards and was actually pretty talented at. Her observational skills lead to an amazing eye for detail and ability to capture imagery on paper. Steady hands from her knife throwing made her brush skills quite exceptional. Zuko joked on occasion about hiring her as the Royal Portrait Artist, but was secretly quite serious about that offer if she was interested. 

Mai’s paintings, despite the fact that she initially wanted to keep them private, adorned the walls of her and Ty Lee’s house, Mura’s flower shop, the palace, and the Jasmine Dragon. Those closest to her encouraged her to share her art. They believed she deserved recognition for her newfound talent. 

Knowing this, Ty Lee made Mai do her Kyoshi Warrior makeup each morning. Ty Lee could do it perfectly fine herself, having done her own makeup while performing in the circus, but the intimacy of Mai doing it for her was intoxicating. She loved seeing Mai deep in concentration, the way she bit her lip every so slightly as she painted Ty Lee’s face with confident strokes. Sometimes after Mai applied the lipstick, Ty Lee would attack her with kisses and leave for the palace abruptly before Mai could react. So, when Zuko would walk past Ty Lee guarding the doors to his office with slightly smudged lips and when Mai would show up to a meeting a bit late with her face a bit splotchy from trying to scrub the bright red lipstick off, Zuko didn’t dare comment.

  
  



	4. Dance

It was Zuko’s birthday, and all of his friends gathered together at The Jasmine Dragon in Ba Sing Se to celebrate. For the occasion, Iroh broke out his tsungi horn and invited some of his fellow Order of the White Lotus members as bandmates to provide music for the intimate, yet lively party. Zuko was a bit put off by the idea of live music, haunted by the memories of music night on his ship during his banishment, but seeing his friends’ enjoying it brought a smile to his face. 

The tables of the tea shop were pushed out of the way against the walls to create a makeshift dancefloor for those carefree enough to let loose and feel the music. Mai was not one of those people, neither was Zuko. So, the two friends stood in the corner, leaning against one of the tables sipping their tea while silently praying to the spirits that no one would drag them out onto the dancefloor. 

Ty Lee loved to dance, and she was amazing at it. Her grace and flexibility from years of training in gymnastics and acrobatics definitely worked in her favor when it came to dancing. The feeling of letting go of any worries and thoughts and surrendering to the music was something she couldn’t get enough of, and it made her aura so much brighter, not that it wasn’t bright to begin with. Ty Lee was currently dancing with Aang. The avatar was currently teaching her some traditional Fire Nation dances he learned when he would visit his friend, Kuzon. He was dancing with Katara earlier, but she was already tired out and was currently slumped into a chair at a table with Suki, Sokka, and Momo. She caught Mai’s eyes from across the room, and the two shared a glance in sympathy and understanding that their partners were infinite balls of energy. 

Mai and Zuko were in the middle of riveting conversation, gossiping and poking fun at the ministers and council members that were particularly annoying at the last council meeting, when Ty Lee rushed over to Mai. She was flushed and panting a bit from exerting energy and had some hairs out of place, but to Mai, she was glowing and as gorgeous as ever. 

Grabbing Mai’s hand, Ty Lee pleaded to Zuko, “I’m sorry, birthday boy, but may I borrow my girlfriend for a dance?” 

Ty Lee looked at Mai and Zuko with her huge polar bear-puppy dog eyes, and Mai found it hard to resist. Mai attempted to reason with her, “Ty, you know I don’t like dancing.”

Ty Lee seemed like she was about to beg on her hands and knees, “Awww, but Mai...it would be so much fun! Come on, please, for me?”

Before Mai could respond, or even groan, Zuko chimed in with a devious smirk, “Yeah, Mai, come on. You know, as the birthday boy and the Fire Lord, it is my command that you should dance with Ty Lee and have fun at my party.”

Mai glanced between the two most treasured people in her life, who were coincidentally the people she hated the most in this very moment. With the most dramatic sigh and eyeroll she could muster up, she grabbed Ty Lee’s hands and let her lover lead her to the makeshift dancefloor. She glared at Zuko over her shoulder and he responded with a big bright smile. 

Mai flushed a bit with embarrassment, dancing was something that she never did. It made her feel self-conscious and awkward, she had no idea how to dance. But, one look into Ty Lee’s pretty grey eyes soothed Mai. 

Ty Lee leaned in close and whispered, “Mai, no one is going to laugh at you or make fun of you. These are our faces, this is a safe space. I want to see you smile, plus I think you would be a great dancer. I’ve seen you spar. You’re so elegant and graceful! So, just follow my lead, okay?”

Mai blushed once more, but with adoration rather than embarrassment. She nodded in response and mimicked Ty Lee’s movements, albeit a bit stiffly and unsure at first. With reassuring smiles from Ty Lee, as well as more of their friends, even Zuko, joining in to dance with them, Mai could feel the tension leave her body and grew more confident in her motions. 

Even with a tea shop full of people, Ty Lee felt like her and Mai were the only people on Earth as she threw her arms around Mai’s neck as they swayed to the music.

  
  



	5. Beach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is so late, but i still wanted to complete this. i hope you guys enjoy !

The weather outside was hot, humid, and the air hung heavy and still. Mai, dressed in only her thin inner robes, fanned herself with a scroll she supposed to be reading in a poor attempt to cool herself off. Even though she was not a fan of the cold, there was little Mai hated more than the summer weather in the Fire Nation. It was relatively warm year round, but in the prime of summer, it really seemed like Agni himself was punishing them with the brutal, oppressive heat. Walking over to the bed, she flopped down unceremoniously and groaned.

As if the weather wasn’t bad enough, she was also stuck on Ember Island. Zuko had decided to give her and Ty Lee a long weekend off from palace duties, since he knew that they had been working hard. He also knew that Ty Lee loved the beach and offered to let them stay at his beach house on Ember Island for their little getaway. Hearing this, Ty Lee basically pounced on the Fire Lord, tackling him with a bone-crushing embrace in gratitude. Mai knew right then that there was no getting out of this, not without disappointing Ty Lee, and even the mere thought of doing so hurt Mai’s heart. She had a complicated history with the vacation spot. As a young child, her parents dragged her there for weeks every summer. It was the fashionable thing for nobility to do, practically everyone in the Caldera had a beach house on Ember Island. The last thing Mai’s mother, Michi, wanted was for some snobby nobles to gossip about their status or the state of their finances if they didn’t take their vacations there. So, Mai would be ripped from the safe and comforting isolation of her bedroom, only to be limited to the shade of her mother’s parasol in fear of her ruining her skin or playing with the other children, which Michi deemed too “savage and undignified”. She was never allowed to leave the shade and barely even allowed to touch the water. It was a stifling, lonely experience. The last time she went to Ember Island was with Azula, Zuko, and Ty Lee during the war. While destroying Chan’s house did prove to be surprisingly fun, the fighting and psychoanalyses by the bonfire were not something she liked to be reminded of. Mai somehow avoided visiting the place ever since, claiming responsibilities at the flower shop or watching Tom-Tom, or even faking illness to get out of invites. But, nevermind all that, because here she was. 

Lost deep in her thoughts, Mai’s eyes began to close. She was almost asleep when she felt something-- or should she say someone practically jumped on top of her, someone suspiciously Ty Lee-sized. Mai’s eyes opened slowly as she was greeted by her girlfriend planting little kisses all over her face. 

“Come on, Mai! Let’s go down to the beach, please? I think a nice swim would really feel nice. A great way to beat the heat!,” Ty Lee giggled, unphased by Mai’s blank expression, “I promise you can take a nap later. I even packed everything we needed!”

Ty Lee looked at Mai with her big grey eyes and a big, cheery grin. Knowing that she wouldn’t win by being stubborn about it, Mai exhaled through her nose and nodded. 

“Sure, Ty. I hope there is at least a breeze by the water. Just let me change into my swimsuit.”

Ty Lee squealed, threw her arms around Mai’s neck, and kissed her on the cheek. 

The two walked down to the beach, hand in hand. In the hand that wasn’t holding Mai’s, Ty Lee was holding the largest picnic basket Mai had ever seen.

Ty Lee squeezed Mai’s hand to grab her attention, grounding her to the present and out of her head.

“Do you remember what Lo and Li said about Ember Island, how it smooths even the roughest edges? Maybe this trip will change how you feel about the beach and the island itself. I will do all I can to hopefully replace the bad memories with new, happy, cheerful, good ones!”

Ty Lee looked expectantly at Mai, who just hummed in a noncommittal response. She already knew that Mai was stubborn and especially did not like being reminded of the past, but Ty planned a day that Mai would undoubtedly enjoy. 

Lounging under the shade of a red parasol on a pink picnic blanket, Mai sat leaning back on one hand with Ty Lee’s head in her lap. Her other hand ran up and down the length of Ty Lee’s silky, soft braid in a soothing motion that almost put the Kyoshi warrior to sleep. They had eaten a lunch of spicy pork-chicken dumplings and steamed veggies with tofu, with fruit tarts for dessert afterwards, all of Mai’s favorite foods. Then, Ty did some stretches as Mai read her book aloud, since Ty Lee loved when Mai read her stories and knew that Mai enjoyed it too. After a while, Ty Lee got sleepy from the combination of the heat, a full stomach, and Mai’s soothing voice, and that’s how she ended up in this position. It was pure bliss, feeling Mai’s nails drag gently across her scalp, but this was for Mai, not for her. So, before she could doze off, Ty Lee bolted straight up and grabbed Mai’s hands and dragged her towards the water.

“Come on, Mai! Let’s go for a swim, even with the slight breeze it’s still way too hot out here.”

Ty Lee glanced back towards Mai, her brows were slightly furrowed, and there was a subtle frown on her face… Mai was nervous. 

“I don’t know, Ty…”, Mai glanced at her, barely meeting her eyes, “I never really ventured in the ocean before. The last time I swam was probably when Appa launched us into that river.”

Ty Lee chuckled a bit at the memory of the two of them flying through the air and getting dunked into the river, and then placed her hands on Mai’s shoulders looking at her reassuringly. 

“If you really don’t want to, I won’t make you, but I just know that I will never let anything bad happen to you. Consider me your personal lifeguard for this evening, Lady Mai.”

Ty Lee dipped into a mock bow, and Mai smiled at her, laughing a bit at her theatrics. Mai reached out to hold Ty’s hand again and nodded.

“Alright, let’s go for a swim,” Mai responded begrudgingly, but Ty Lee could see through the act. 

The two waded into the water up to their waists.Ty dipped down until the water reached her shoulders, Mai did the same. They just floated around for a while, bobbing with the waves and joking around. Ty tried to show off her underwater handstands, only to resurface with seaweed in her hair.

Mai tried hard to suppress her laughter and slight disgust as she picked the seaweed off of her girlfriend’s head.  
“Hmm Ty, I know I say you look good in everything, but I don’t think green hair is for you.” 

Ty Lee giggled, then tilted her head and tapped a finger on her chin in thought, “Maybe not… but I think it would look good on you!”

Mai stood confused for a moment, then caught on quick as she dodged the clump of seaweed Ty threw her way. 

Mai glared at her indignantly, and splashed Ty Lee as payback. Ty naturally splashed back, diving under the water and popping up behind Mai randomly in hopes to catch her off guard. The two played around in the water until the sun started to set, and Mai started to complain about how sticky and gross the salt water felt on her skin.

The two packed up their things and headed back to the beach house. When they reached the door, Mai stopped and turned towards Ty Lee with a small smile on her face. 

“Thanks for today Ty, I actually had fun. Maybe one day, we can take Tom-Tom to the beach, I think he would enjoy it, I know I would. ”

Mai leaned down and gave Ty Lee a quick kiss. Ty blushed bright pink in response, placing down the picnic basket and throwing her arms around Mai. Ty Lee picked up the basket once again and followed Mai into the house, thinking that maybe Ember Island really did help smooth out jagged edges, because Mai looked at her with such a soft look on her face. 

“Of course, Mai! Anything for you, always.”

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed :) i am @gothladymai on tumblr if anyone wants to say hello


End file.
